Travel Guide To Harare

General Information About Harare

Harare (/həˈrɑːreɪ/; officially called Salisbury until 1982) is the capital and most populous city of Zimbabwe. Situated in the north-east of the country in the heart of historic Mashonaland, the city has an estimated population of 1,606,000 (2009),with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area (2006). Administratively, Harare is a metropolitan province, which also incorporates Chitungwiza town and Epworth. It is situated at an elevation of 1,483 metres (4,865 feet) above sea level and its climate falls into the subtropical highland category.
Harare is Zimbabwe's leading financial, commercial, and communications centre, and a trade centre for tobacco, maize, cotton, and citrus fruits. Manufactured goods include textiles, steel and chemicals, and gold is mined in the area. The city's suburbs include Borrowdale,Helensvale, Greendale, Chisipite, Mbare, HIghfields, Kuwadzana, Marlboro, Marlbereign, Vainona, Mount Pleasant and Avondale; the most affluent neighbourhoods are to the north. The University of Zimbabwe, the country's oldest university (founded in 1952), is situated in Mount Pleasant, about 6 km (3.7 mi) north of the city centre.
Harare is home to the country's main Test cricket ground, Harare Sports Club, and to Dynamos F.C., Zimbabwe's most successful association football team.

Sports Played in Harare

Culture

Christianity (of many different denominations, including Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist and Dutch Reformed Churches) is practised widely across Zimbabwe. But many people also hold traditional beliefs in ancestors, as well as in prophecy and divination, where divine inspiration is sought through communication with the spirits.

History

The city was founded in 1890 by the Pioneer Column, a small military force in the service of the British South Africa Company, and named Fort Salisbury after the British Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. Company administrators demarcated the city and ran it until Southern Rhodesia achieved responsible government in 1923. Salisbury was thereafter the seat of the Southern Rhodesian (later Rhodesian) government and, between 1953 and 1963, the capital of the Central African Federation. It retained the name Salisbury until 1982, when it was renamed Harare on the second anniversary of Zimbabwean independence.

Topography

The city sits on the one of the higher parts of the Highveld plateau of Zimbabwe at an elevation of 1,483 metres (4,865 feet). The original landscape could be described as a "parkland."

Climate

Harare has a pleasant subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cwb). The average annual temperature is 17.95 °C (64.3 °F), rather low for the tropics, and this is due to its high altitude position and the prevalence of a cool south-easterly airflow.
There are three main seasons: a warm, wet season from November to March/April; a cool, dry season from May to August (corresponding to winter in the Southern Hemisphere); and a hot, dry season in September/October. Daily temperature ranges are about 7–22 °C (45–72 °F) in July (the coldest month), about 15–29 °C (59–84 °F) in October (the hottest month) and about 16–26 °C (61–79 °F) in January (midsummer). The hottest year on record was 1914 with 19.73 °C (67.5 °F) and the coldest year was 1965 with 17.13 °C (62.8 °F).
The average annual rainfall is about 825 mm (32.5 in) in the southwest, rising to 855 mm (33.7 in) on the higher land of the northeast (from around Borrowdale to Glen Lorne). Very little rain typically falls during the period May to September, although sporadic showers occur most years. Rainfall varies a great deal from year to year and follows cycles of wet and dry periods from 7 to 10 years long. Records begin in October 1890 but all three Harare stations stopped reporting in early 2004.
The climate supports a natural vegetation of open woodland. The most common tree of the local region is the Msasa Brachystegia spiciformis that colours the landscape wine red with its new leaves in late August. Two South American species of trees, the Jacaranda and the Flamboyant, which were introduced during the colonial era, contribute to the city's colour palette with streets lined with either the lilac blossoms of the Jacaranda or the flame red blooms from the Flamboyant. They flower in October/November and are planted on alternative streets in the capital. Also prevalent is Bougainvillea.

Harare Nightlife

The city has a vibrant and infamous nightlife. Although entertainment in the city has long been dominated by restaurants, the nightlife in Harare is going from strength to strength as scores of new clubs and bars open up.It boasts an assortment of bars and pubs which usually open after 7 in the evening. These range from laid-back jazz and blues clubs and restaurants to pumping clubs with a revolving line-up of DJs and bands.
Venues are scattered throughout Harare, with a cluster of clubs in the newer Sam Levy Village area in Borrowdale, a bit like a US strip mall in feel and in price. Besides the established dance scene, many new clubs are attempting to offer something a little different - so there's an increasingly wide choice of live music venues, dance clubs, sports bars, jazz clubs, pool bars, cafés and restaurants. Although most pubs close before midnight, this is when the action moves to the various discos and nightclubs.

Radost Platinum

The Origins Café

Mannenburg Jazz Club

Blue Banana

Pabloz

One Plus One

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Harare Zimbabwe

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Gold – a currency the world understands. A reliable and rock-solid investment, a symbol of glamour, synonymous with success and prosperity. Not unlike the Rainbow Towers Hotel & Conference Centre, in Zimbabwe's sunny capital Harare. A golden icon on the city skyline, the luxury 304 room Rainbow Towers Hotel & Conference Centre is on par with the world's best, and is geared to meet the needs of the most discerning business and leisure traveler.

Harare Zimbabwe

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Pandhari Hotels formerly Pandhari Lodge is a Harare accommodation and conference facility located in the upmarket suburb of Glen Lorne. The lodge is some 25 to 30 minutes drive from Harare International Airport and some 15 to 20 minutes drive from central Harare. Pandhari is in close proximity to Chisipite shopping center were guests can access banks, grocery stores, pharmacies and fast food outlets.

Harare Zimbabwe

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For over 100 years Meikles has been acclaimed as Zimbabwe’s premier luxury five-star hotel, its gracious charm and silver-service style reflected in our membership of Leading Hotels of the World. Situated in the heart of the capital city Harare, Meikles is a legendary meeting place for international business executives, dignitaries, leisure travellers and celebrities.

Harare Zimbabwe

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Cresta Oasis lies in Zimbabwe’s sunny Harare, where guests are treated like royalty with a warm welcome and exceptional service. Cresta Oasis is the perfect place to mix business and entertainment. You can do serious business in the day and by night you can sit back and enjoy a heavenly cocktail. The hotel hosts conferences and has two comprehensively equipped conference venues and a business center.

Harare Zimbabwe

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Set in beautiful and tranquil surroundings, located on the outskirts of Harare’s dynamic city center, you’ll find the beautiful Cresta Lodge. The property is the idyllic setting for the most memorable events with superior levels of comfort, attention to detail and top quality facilities all topped off with the true warmth of African hospitality.

Harare Zimbabwe

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Cresta Jameson Hotel is set in the heartbeat of Harare in the midst of the vibrant city life where hustling and bustling is the order of the day. Offering a selected service operation that meets the changing expectations of customers who prefer accommodation, banqueting and conference options in the central business district at competitive prices, Cresta Jameson is popular among locals and internal guests alike.

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Discover Domboshava with PASICHIGARE LEISURE AND HERITAGE TOURS . Domboshava is a land of giant imposing granite side rocks ,deep mystic valleys in some places that are serene and magnificently tranquil , patched with verdant vegetation which is home to birds baboons ,monkeys, Guinea fowls. It is a land of mystery , a land of unique of unique rock art. In short it is a land that offers absolute outdoor liberation the best in Harare.

The National Heroes Acre, our revered shrine, is the pride of the people of Zimbabwe. It is a symbol of bravery and selflessness for those whose remains are laid to rest there. Towering and selflessness for those remains are laid to rest there.

The National Art Gallery is the center for contemporary art in Zimbabwe. It was established on 16 July 1957. There are two other branches in Mutare, and Bulawayo. The gallery dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe’s contemporary art and visual heritage. Various respected traditions of Zimbabwean art which include stone, metal sculptures and nature paintings and are represented in the gallery.

Domboshava Rocks is located approximately thirty five kilometres north east of Harare. It is an easy and interesting drive as you pass through a village with lots of stalls and produce on sale. Proceeding through the village you will start to see massive granite formations of rock which is the popular Domboshava rocks that attracts many locals and tourists alike, it is a natural history site.

A famous balancing rocks formation is located 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) southeast of Harare, off the Chiremba Road. The Balancing Rocks are geomorphological features of igneous rocks found in many parts of Zimbabwe, and are particularly noteworthy in Matopos National Park and near the township of Epworth to the southeast of Harare.

The cave system is composed of limestone and dolomite, and the descent to the main cave with its pool of cobalt blue water is very impressive. This pool is popularly called Sleeping Pool or Chirorodziva (Pool of the Fallen). Divers have discovered a submarine passage leading from the Bat Cave, a subchamber of the Dark Cave to another room known as the Blind Cave.